Wayward Sadie leads her friends to the murals of the painter Mistral. There, they are transported to a star where their Halloween costumes become real. As Fortuneteller, Sadie only has to look in her crystal ball to help the others with their dream identities. Her friend Candy has become the Homecoming Queen. Her brother is a zebra and the neighbor boy is a musician in the star band. Other children in Sadie's grade school make up a bizarre community of star people who have also become enchanted. The hunt for a star-of-sapphire necklace takes up the latter chapters of this madcap fantasy.

Perry has his own misadventures when the standard poodle Claude comes to his house. Because of a defect, Claude can't be a show dog. But he fetches beyond his training, opens doors, and attempts to roam the neighborhood. The spring before the moonwalk, Perry plans a group project about UFO's, space travel, and the Dog Star. During this, Claude makes escapes like a canine Houdini. Perry's father has enough to worry about with the anti-war protesters in his history classes. Can Perry turn Claude's exploring into training?

Maureen doesn't plan to repeat the mistakes of her divorced parents. Her 1960's experiences are presented alongside family leave-takings. When marriage seems imminent, the leave-takings are with men. Maureen's photography proves to be a more permanent involvement. Eventually she struggles with depression and clings to her work until that is with a man that she would readily date. Outside their magazine, she defiantly exposes a large poultry farm while confronting her need for a constant love relationship. With Minnesota settings, the book covers thirty years. Its comic relief reflects that...